As high speed internet and connected devices housing advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) continually back up a booming gaming industry, there’s a lot in store for the future of gaming. Here’s a look at its current state, what’s projected in the upcoming years and how you can improve your personal gaming experience.

The state of the gaming industry

According to 2018 Newzoo report, 2.3 billion consumers will spend a total of $137.9 billion on games, with 91% of the revenue being spent on digital games. This giant boom in the industry is without doubt attributed to the rise of mobile, connected technology that has made gaming exponentially popular among all types of consumers. Ever since the first iPhone was launched in 2007, mobile gaming alone has experienced double-digit growth.

The top factor influencing video-game purchase is the quality of graphics, as reported by the Entertainment Software Association. This statistic reiterates the rise of graphics processing unit technology that continue to advance and enhance the user experience. Mobile smartphones equipped with powerful GPUs are enabling crystal-clear streaming. Paired with connection to fast internet service, which has become even more accessible to more people, the combination is fueling the industry for more growth.

The future of the gaming industry

Mobile gaming moment will continue to push forward in upcoming years. In fact, smartphone gaming is projected to hold more than 50% of the gaming market by 2020. This mobile gamer market is mainly made up of casual gamers, a category of consumers that are more reluctant to spend money on a mobile game. With this in mind, mobile game makers and app developers will match their demands by making more free-to-play and free-to-start games. Another major aspect that has come along with the rise of social media is social gaming.

The future of gaming will continue to explore more multiplayer and social games that rely on constant connectivity and real-time interactions. In the most recent years, virtual reality (VR) has taken the consumer market by storm and began to make its initial impact in the gaming market. VR headsets entered the scene with the Oculus Rift and Google’s Daydream View providing an immersive yet affordable way for everyday consumers to try out virtual reality gaming. Tacking on to VR, augmented reality (AR) is also another aspect of gaming that is projected to grow in popularity in coming years. The AR experience of Pokémon Go underwent viral success, and it’s just a preview of more AR games that will infiltrate the gaming industry.

How to improve your gaming experience

A game’s just not as fun when it’s interrupted, right? Here are some helpful tips to improve your digital gaming experience.

Keep your internet connection in check. If you want to enjoy smoothly streamed games via your connected mobile devices, PC or laptop, a strong connection is key. There are various types of internet services you can go with, everything from bandwidths with 10 Mbps download speeds to 1 gigabit internet is out there. Choose the one that fits your usage requirements. Also, consider how many people in the house might be using the internet at a time. The more players on a connection, the more bandwidth space that’s taken up, so if you want to ensure smooth streaming, investing in larger bandwidth can significantly improve gaming.

Pick a proper processor for gaming. Graphics processing units are the heart of gaming consoles, be it mobile, PC or traditional gaming device. They support graphics, streaming and battery life—all major factors that play in favor of a good gaming experience. When looking for relevant gaming devices, the Power VR GTZXT Series, Nvidia Tegra X1, Apple A10 Fusion and Qualcomm Adreno 540 are top contenders.

Adjust device settings to be ideal for gaming. To improve your computer or laptop’s frames per second (FPS) so that it’s ideal for gaming, adjust your device’s screen display settings. Pick the monitor’s native resolution—it’s usually the one that says ‘recommended’.

The world of gamers is on track for more expansion not only in the technological sense but in regards to the audience. As time moves forward, gaming will become increasingly accessible and ever immersive, which will invite gamers of all walks, even ones who didn’t know they were gamers, to join along for the ride.